The present invention relates to a diagnostic tool for use in connection with diagnosing vehicle systems and particularly a diagnostic tool which accommodates different format storage mediums.
For many years, electrical testers have been provided for connection to a vehicle""s computer system through a test port which is a connector allowing the test equipment to interrogate and diagnose vehicle systems for maintenance and servicing. Such systems include, for example, an engine mounted control module, a heating ventilation and air conditioning module (HVAC), an instrument panel cluster and the like. Different vehicle manufacturer""s utilize different communication protocols and as vehicle models change, each vehicle has its own signal parameters representative of normal or abnormal conditions within the vehicle. Thus, with the thousands of vehicles now including test ports, several using different communication protocols and each with their own signals, it is necessary to provide stored data for controlling testers employed for the servicing of vehicles which store the test data for each vehicle model and year as well as provide a communication protocol which allows the tester to communicate with a given vehicle under service.
Several hundred thousand testers have, in the past, employed an 8-bit microprocessor, such as a Motorola 6803, as the microprocessor for processing data. Each tester can employ numerous memory cartridges which include stored data and control information for the vehicles. As can be appreciated, with the hundreds of thousands of testers in the market and the numerous cartridges for each tester and as additional vehicles are included, replacing the somewhat outdated 8-bit microprocessor with a new system would require reprogramming of the data contained by all of the existing cartridges for use with the 8-bit microprocessor as well as obsoleting the service cartridges now available to the service technicians. As vehicles become older, their cartridges gradually become obsolete and to program a new microprocessor system with all such information would consume memory that is better used for current and new vehicles with which a tester is to be employed.
As a result, it is desirable to provide an improved tester with faster processing capabilities, improved memory and yet one which will allow the use of existent cartridges for older vehicles using the earlier microprocessor platform.
The system of the present invention accommodates this need by providing a cartridge adapter for receiving existing vehicle diagnostic cartridges programmed for use with an 8-bit microprocessor. The adapter receives existing cartridges and is coupled to a field programmable gate array (FPGA) programmed to emulate the operation of the 8-bit microprocessor, such as a Motorola 6803, and supplies information to a 32-bit microprocessor coupled to a display and control panel to emulate the operation of a system for which the cartridges have been programmed. Additionally, the 32-bit microprocessor includes programming for new vehicles as well as the ability to use updated vehicle information through flash memory to be continuously updated. A second FPGA provides a communication interface between the vehicle input/output circuit for providing communication using the various protocols employed by different vehicle manufacturers.
With such a system, therefore, existent cartridges for earlier vehicles can be employed and testing conducted by field technicians in the same manner as they have been accustomed to while using a tester which is programmed for use with newer vehicles such that service personnel can service all vehicles utilizing familiar testing techniques for earlier vehicles as well as a higher speed, more efficient microprocessor for both older vehicles and new vehicles.
These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description thereof together with reference to the accompanying drawings.